MATERNAL NAMES
CATHERINE COVENTRY THOMPSON (1829-1916)
THE RATHER SAD LIFE OF WILLIAM BELL’S THIRD WIFE
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William’s third and last wife was a widow and ten years older than William. She was born Catherine Coventry in Chinguacousy Township, Ontario in 1829, to James Coventry and Elizabeth Doone.
Catherine was born in Chinguacousy, Peel, Ontario, Canada to parents James Coventry 1786–1874 and Elizabeth Drone 1805–1842, both from Abernethy, Perthshire, Scotland. This is according to her marriage to William and many other documents.
Catherine was the eldest daughter in a family of three daughters and four sons. The family would have been one of the first to immigrate to Canada as they were in Chinguacousy at the time of Catherine’s birth.
Her mother died in 1842 (1), when Catherine was just thirteen years of age. This would have made her responsible for the care of her younger brothers and sisters, ages one, three, five, six, eight and ten. This would have been quite a heavy load for such a young lass.
Catherine was living at home in 1851, with her widowed father, age sixty-four and five brothers, age twenty-two to thirteen, and one sister. She was the eldest at the time and she, along with her 20-year-old sister, most likely took care of all the household chores, cooking and cleaning for the family of men.(2)
Mary Ann, who appears in the 1861 census after much confusion, turned out to be the wife of James Coventry Jr. Two other children were present in the same census: Harriet born 1849 and Ruth born 1851, who are Mary Ann’s younger sisters. They also appear on the census for Joshua Kelley for the same year, which would indicate they may have been visiting their sister, Mary Ann. The name Kelly should appear as their maiden names, but the census taker has recorded them as Coventry. The census taker recorded Mary Ann's age as fourteen instead of twenty-four, which is incorrect.. I could find this by looking at the census for the Kelly family. (3)
I found Catherine in the 1861 census, living with her widowed father and family. Catherine married George Patton Thompson rather late in life when she was at least 40 years old.(4)
United Presbyterian Congregations of Brampton & Derry West, Part 1, 1858 - 1879
Thompson, George P., 41, Chinguacousy, Esquesing George & Eliza (Smith) married Coventry, Catherine, 40, Chinguacousy Chinguacousy James & Elizabeth (Doone) Witness: James Coventry, Chinguacousy August 25th 1870 (5,6)
In October of the same year, Catherine gave birth to twins, George and James. The frailty of both infants overwhelmed them, and they surrendered to death within a month of their birth. George at twenty-six days of age and James at thirty-three days.(7, 8, 9, 10)
The 1871 census has Catherine, age 42, living with her 85-year-old father James. He entered as a widower and farmer and Catherine Thompson, her married name. I cannot find her husband, George Patton Thompson. Perhaps she and George went separate ways.(11)
George's whereabouts remained a mystery after the twins' death, as he was not present in the 1871 census. Did he leave after the children died? Had he had to marry as Catherine was in a family way? I did, however, find a death register for him in 1880. It appears he died in 1880, in York, Ontario, Canada. The death register indicates that they recorded the cause of death as marasmus, a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition that results from inadequate protein and calorie intake.. Without these vital nutrients, energy levels dramatically decrease and vital functions start to cease.. One wonders if he was homeless.(12)
Catherine and William married in 1883.
04163-83 (Halton) William BELL, 44, Tp. of Toronto, Tp. of Esquesing, farmer, widower, s/o Hugh BELL & Susanna DUNBAR,
married Catherine THOMPSON,50, widow, Tp. of Chinguacousy, Stewartown Esquesing,
d/o James COVENTRY & Elizabeth DROAN, (Doone)
witn: Elizabeth J. COVENTRY and George N.ATCHISON both of Stewartown, 12 Dec 1883 at Stewartown Esquesing.(13)
The 1891 Census has Catherine with William, his three boys and Ada and Lizzie Coventry living with them. (14)
Catherine and William raised Will’s boys in a house on Church Street in Georgetown. By 1901 the census shows only Robert John and Ada, who remained.(15) Ada was Catherine’s niece. She remained with them throughout their marriage.
William moved to Toronto after Catherine’s death and stayed with his middle son John and his wife Maude.
Ada remained in the house for many years, which leads me to believe the house may have belonged to Catherine and not William. Evidence from later documents indicates Ada lived at 30 Church Street, Georgetown.. I have a picture of my father in front of his “grandparents” house in Georgetown, and the house resembles the Church Street house in Georgetown today.
Catherine remained married to William for the rest of her life. She had led a life of duty to others and met many disappointments and tragedies over the years. Despite William being buried alongside her, I would think that Catherine experienced disappointments with the men in her life. I wonder if it was a surface-level demonstration rather than a sincere emotional bond with him.
The will of Catherine Coventry left William Bell very little, the bulk of it going to her niece Ada Zillah Coventry (1865-1959), youngest daughter of her brother James and his first wife Mary Ann Kelly.
Citations
(1) D. 1842 Drone Elizabeth Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
(2) C. 1851 Census Place: Chinguacousy, Peel County, Canada West (Ontario); Schedule: A; Roll: C_11746; Page: 217; Line: 14
(3) C. 1861 Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1063 1861 Census of Canada for Joshua Kelly
(4) C. 1861 Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1062
(5) M.1870 Coventy/Thompson Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928; Series: MS932; Reel: 3 Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, 1933-1934
(6) M.1870 Coventy/Thompson "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMFL-LKV : 11 March 2018), George Patton Thompson and Catherine Coventry, 25 Aug 1870; citing registration , Brampton, Peel, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,862,475.
(7) "Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FM3M-FBP : 8 August 2017), Catharine Coventry Thompson in entry for James Thompson, 10 Oct 1870; citing Birth, Chinguacousy, Peel, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,844,885.
(8) "Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FM3M-FB2 : 8 August 2017), Catharine Coventry Thompson in entry for George Thompson, 10 Oct 1870; citing Birth, Chinguacousy, Peel, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,844,885.
(9) Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 2 Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1946
(10) Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 2 Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1946
(11) C. 1871 Census Place: Chinguacousy, Peel, Ontario; Roll: C-9958; Page: 12; Family No: 42
(12) D.1880 Thompson George Patton Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 26 Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1948
(13) M. 1883 Thompson /Bell Ontario, Canada, Select Marriages. Archives of Ontario, Toronto Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928; Reel: 43
(14) C. 1891 Census Place: Esquesing, Halton, Ontario; Roll: T-6340; Family No: 58
(15) C. 1901 Census Place: Esquesing, Halton, Ontario; Page: 3; Family No: 28
(16) D. "Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, <i>FamilySearch</i> (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J63Z-2PP : 9 March 2018), Catherine Bell, 08 Nov 1916; citing Georgetown, Halton, Ontario, yr 1916 cn 16493, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,862,181.
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